The Celtic Life Science Sensation

CRAIGAVON

Galen Holdings

One of the oldest pharmas in Northern Ireland, Galen is an integrated pharmaceutical company that develops, manufactures, and markets prescription products, primarily in women's healthcare and dermatology. The company also offers clinical-trial support and custom chemical design and synthesis. It employs 675 people.

DUBLIN

Wyeth BioPharma

Drug giant Wyeth is spending more than $1 billion (US) to build what may be the world's largest biopharmaceutical manufacturing and research facility at the 90-acre Grange Castle International Business Park. When completed in 2005, the 111,500 sq meter complex will employ 1,300 people, including some 200 scientists in a connected $300 million drug research facility.

Conway Institute of Biomolecular and Biomedical Research

A recently opened 11,000 sq meter multidisciplinary research institute houses close to 500 scientists, PhDs, and postdocs from the University College Dublin (UCD). Core facilities include those for nuclear magnetic resonance imaging, protein crystallography, and DNA sequencing.

NovaUCD

A €10 million incubator on the Belfield campus at UCD will comprise 8,000 sq meters for as many as 42 technology transfer and university research spin-offs.

Dublin Molecular Medicine Center (DMMC)

A research partnership of the Conway Institute, Trinity College Dublin's Durkan Institute of Molecular Medicine, and the Royal College of Surgeons. The DMMC is headquartered on UCD's Belfield campus. Shared facilities include genome scanning, transcriptomics, bioinformatics, and computational biology.

National Institute for Cellular Biotechnology

A new €34.4 million multidisciplinary research center at Dublin City University focuses on fundamental and applied cellular biotechnology, molecular cell biology, and biological chemistry.

Elan Corp.

One of Ireland's oldest local biopharmaceutical companies, Elan develops novel therapeutics for Alzheimer and Parkinson diseases, multiple sclerosis, pain management, and autoimmune diseases. The company faced a challenging year financially in 2003, but has several promising products under development.

WATERFORD

Genzyme Ireland

A €250 million biotechnology facility expansion is underway on a 31-acre site. When operational in 2005, Genzyme will add 480 employees for pharmaceutical manufacturing, focusing on biological proteins and enzymes.

ABERDEEN

Aberdeen Science and Technology Park

A 60-acre science park and incubator for more than 50 companies in medical and biotechnology, information technology, and electronics, it employs 750 people.

DUNDEE

Axis-Shield

Scotland's largest biotech company develops and manufactures in vitro diagnostic products. It also develops novel blood tests for deficiency in the cobalamin (vitamin B12) molecule, and assays to determine osteoporosis and bone disorders.

Dundee Medipark

A €1 million, 25-acre facility will house biotech and life science companies, including spin-offs from the medical school. A 1,300-sq meter lab building is already open, and other buildings are under development.

EDINBURGH

Edinburgh Science Triangle

A cluster of six science parks, research facilities, and a biomanufacturing campus located in a five-mile radius, it will house 83 tenants and more than 4,00 employees in 252,000 sq meters of office and lab space.

Biomanufacturing Campus

The planned €100 million dedicated biomanufacturing facility will be Scotland's first. It will have space for 10 companies offering 900 jobs.

Edinburgh Technopole

Still in its infancy, this 30-acre site will be run by the University of Edinburgh. It will provide up to 4,645 sq meters for office and lab space for tenant companies, expected to include biotech, electronics, and information technology.

Roslin BioCenter

This 36-acre science park houses 17 institutions with roughly 500 researchers and staff employees working in biotechnology, drug discovery, therapeutics, and other life sciences.

Pentlands Science Park

Europe's first science park based around a center of excellence in veterinary science, it houses 21 organizations, including the Moredun Research Institute. Features an on-site GMP-licensed antigen production unit.

GLASGOW

West of Scotland Science Park

A 61-acre park and incubator for some 25 life science and high-technology companies. Buildings provide 17,650 sq meters with another 3,350 sq meters under construction.

Cancer Research UK Beatson Laboratories

Working with the University of Glas-gow Center for Oncology and Applied Pharmacology and other research groups, Beatson focuses on basic cell research and molecular biology. Well-equipped laboratories house more than 20 research groups.

CARDIFF

Amersham Biosciences

At the company's Maynard Center, 500 employees develop and manufacture technologies for gene and protein research, drug screening and testing, and protein separations systems.

Molecular Light Technology (MLT)

Spun out from the University of Wales School of Medicine in 1988, MLT specializes in producing human and environmental diagnostic test systems using chemiluminescent technologies.

Wales Gene Park

One of six Genetic Knowledge Parks set up by the British National Health Service, the facility in Wales will link gene typing and other genetic research at the universities with government supported commercialization efforts.